McDermott celebrates two years in charge of Reading FC

In just two years Brian McDermott has established himself as one of the best Reading managers of all-time

Brian McDermott joked that he was doing an “okay job” at Reading as he celebrates his two-year anniversary today.

McDermott masterminded Royals’ route to the Championship play-off final at Wembley last season as well as his second FA Cup quarter-final in as many years.

With a win ratio of 44 per cent, the former chief scout has quickly established himself as one of the best Reading managers of all-time alongside Maurice Evans and Steve Coppell.

“It’s gone very quickly,” said the 50-year-old who takes his side to face Leeds United tomorrow (3pm kick-off).

“I’ve enjoyed it and it’s been good. When you consider that most Championship managers only get about 14 months, I’m doing okay!”

The undoubted personal highlight for McDermott during his 108-game tenure is the historic 2-1 FA Cup third round replay win against Liverpool at Anfield – in just his fifth game in the job as caretaker boss.

He recalled: “The Liverpool game has to be up there because we had just lost 4-1 to Plymouth and I could hear the wailing behind me to get me out of the chair as quickly as possible.

“We went to Anfield as massive underdogs and to get that performance told me everything.

“Gylfi Sigurdsson scored the best penalty I have ever seen in my life under pressure.

“And then Bynjar Gunnarsson nutmegged their player, put the cross in and Shane Long scored the winner in front of the Kop – you can’t write that. From then on I’ve never looked back.

“I’ve got a picture of Shane’s goal on my wall at home. It’s in this one small TV room for myself where I sit and watch football. The only football stuff I have in my house is in there.”

Royals’ play-off final defeat last season to former manager Brendan Rodgers’ Swansea City ranks as a low point.

McDermott explained: “To get to the final was a high, but to lose at Wembley, that would definitely be the low point. I still believe we should have won, even at 3-0 down.”

A win tomorrow at Elland Road would move McDermott one victory from his 50th in charge of the club.

And he added: “They’ve won a lot of games lately, but so have we. Simon Grayson has done a terrific job and I get on really well with him.

“Last season we went there off the back of winning eight on the spin and it was very unusual for Reading to go to a place like Leeds and be favourites.”